{"id":274532,"date":"2005-06-02T18:50:00","date_gmt":"2005-06-02T18:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.moldova.org\/2005\/06\/02\/football-draw-in-moldova-was-worst-day-of-my-scots-career-2912-eng\/"},"modified":"2005-06-02T18:50:00","modified_gmt":"2005-06-02T18:50:00","slug":"football-draw-in-moldova-was-worst-day-of-my-scots-career-2912-eng","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/football-draw-in-moldova-was-worst-day-of-my-scots-career-2912-eng\/","title":{"rendered":"Football: Draw in Moldova was worst day of my scots career"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\nBy Colin Duncan \/\/ IN THE space of five days last May Darren Fletcher helped Manchester United win the FA Cup and became the youngest player to captain Scotland in more than 100 years. <\/p>\n

However, since leading out his country against Estonia the midfielder admits his international career has been a sorry tale of woe,culminating in the pathetic1-1draw with Moldova in Chisinau. <\/p>\n

Sandwiched in between were a 3-0 home hammering by Hungary and a 1-0 reverse at the hands of Norway.However, it’s the manner of Scotland’s miserable display in Chisinau and his own poor performance that still rankles with Fletcher. <\/p>\n

Indeed, while the 21-year-old has already crammed enough highs into a career most footballers can only dream about, he is still haunted by the 66 minutes he managed against the Moldovans last October. <\/p>\n

Eight months on, the pain remains raw and Fletcher is desperate to overcome a hamstring problem so he can make amends at Hampden on Saturday. <\/p>\n

He said: ‘The last game against Moldova was a real low point for me in a Scotland jersey. In terms of not being 100 per cent fit and getting subbed, it really hurt me. <\/p>\n

Optimism ‘There were other things I don’t want to mention and it was a real disappointing time for me. There’s been lots of highs and lows and they will continue because that’s part of football. <\/p>\n

‘No disrespect to Scotland, who are looking to go places, but it will be highs and lows all the way as we are that type of country. <\/p>\n

‘But under Walter Smith we want to make as many highs and as few lows as possible.’ <\/p>\n

Having spurned the chance to accumulate points early in their Group 5 campaign by taking just one point from the opening two home matches with Slovenia and Norway, qualification now appears a remote possibility. <\/p>\n

But Fletcher believes when the odds are stacked massively against Scotland they produce their best football. The youngster has been reared on success at Old Trafford and sees no reason to change his winning mentality while on Scotland duty. <\/p>\n

Creditable draws against Germany and Spain and a victory over Holland under Berti Vogts have helped fill Fletcher with optimism for the remaining World Cup qualifiers. <\/p>\n

He said: ‘We had the chance to take a commanding position from the start but now it looks as if we’re going to have to do it the hard way and go to places like Norway and Slovenia to get results. <\/p>\n

‘But we are capable of getting six points and if wedo it will fill us with confidence for the rest of the campaign. All games are must wins. <\/p>\n

‘In the past we’ve gone to places like Spain and Germany under Berti and produced results when the odds have been against us. <\/p>\n

‘We seem to do quite well then but it’s games like this, at home to Moldova,where we have to take the game to the opposition and score goals. That’s when the real pressure starts.’ <\/p>\n

Fletcher has yet to feature under Walter Smith, having missed the Italian game in the San Siro with a knee injury. <\/p>\n

But having worked under him at Old Trafford, where he was Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant for six months last season, Fletcher is well aware of the qualities Smith brings to the national team. <\/p>\n

He said: ‘The players at United really respected Walter in the short time he was there. <\/p>\n

‘You look at his achievements at Rangers and what he did at Everton, but it’s only on the training ground that you realise how good a tactician and coach he is. <\/p>\n

‘He is not purely a manager, He did the coaching at United where everyone took to him straight away. <\/p>\n

‘It’s no surprise he’s starting to make things happen for Scotland.’ <\/p>\n

Even if Scotland can get their qualification hopes back on track with victories over Moldova on Saturday and Belarus next Wednesday, Fletcher admits the disappointment of losing last month’s FA Cup Final to Arsenal on penalties will continue to linger. <\/p>\n

He added: ‘I think that sense of frustration will be there for a long time. I don’t think two games will make up for that as it wasa real blow to everybody. <\/p>\n

‘The way the season panned out, people would have still talked about a disappointing campaign even if we’d won the FA Cup. <\/p>\n

‘It would have salvaged a little bit but we are under no illusions as Manchester United just don’t see themselves winning FA Cups. They want bigger and better things. <\/p>\n

‘The hurt will still be there next season and hopefully that bitter disappointment will help to drive us on<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reading Time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>By Colin Duncan \/\/ IN THE space of five days last May Darren Fletcher helped Manchester United win the FA Cup and became the youngest player to captain Scotland in more than 100 years. However, since leading out his country against Estonia the midfielder admits his international career has been a sorry tale of woe,culminating […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-274532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports"],"content_social_share":"Reading Time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\nBy Colin Duncan \/\/ IN THE space of five days last May Darren Fletcher helped Manchester United win the FA Cup and became the youngest player to captain Scotland in more than 100 years. <\/p>\n

However, since leading out his country against Estonia the midfielder admits his international career has been a sorry tale of woe,culminating in the pathetic1-1draw with Moldova in Chisinau. <\/p>\n

Sandwiched in between were a 3-0 home hammering by Hungary and a 1-0 reverse at the hands of Norway.However, it’s the manner of Scotland’s miserable display in Chisinau and his own poor performance that still rankles with Fletcher. <\/p>\n

Indeed, while the 21-year-old has already crammed enough highs into a career most footballers can only dream about, he is still haunted by the 66 minutes he managed against the Moldovans last October. <\/p>\n

Eight months on, the pain remains raw and Fletcher is desperate to overcome a hamstring problem so he can make amends at Hampden on Saturday. <\/p>\n

He said: ‘The last game against Moldova was a real low point for me in a Scotland jersey. In terms of not being 100 per cent fit and getting subbed, it really hurt me. <\/p>\n

Optimism ‘There were other things I don’t want to mention and it was a real disappointing time for me. There’s been lots of highs and lows and they will continue because that’s part of football. <\/p>\n

‘No disrespect to Scotland, who are looking to go places, but it will be highs and lows all the way as we are that type of country. <\/p>\n

‘But under Walter Smith we want to make as many highs and as few lows as possible.’ <\/p>\n

Having spurned the chance to accumulate points early in their Group 5 campaign by taking just one point from the opening two home matches with Slovenia and Norway, qualification now appears a remote possibility. <\/p>\n

But Fletcher believes when the odds are stacked massively against Scotland they produce their best football. The youngster has been reared on success at Old Trafford and sees no reason to change his winning mentality while on Scotland duty. <\/p>\n

Creditable draws against Germany and Spain and a victory over Holland under Berti Vogts have helped fill Fletcher with optimism for the remaining World Cup qualifiers. <\/p>\n

He said: ‘We had the chance to take a commanding position from the start but now it looks as if we’re going to have to do it the hard way and go to places like Norway and Slovenia to get results. <\/p>\n

‘But we are capable of getting six points and if wedo it will fill us with confidence for the rest of the campaign. All games are must wins. <\/p>\n

‘In the past we’ve gone to places like Spain and Germany under Berti and produced results when the odds have been against us. <\/p>\n

‘We seem to do quite well then but it’s games like this, at home to Moldova,where we have to take the game to the opposition and score goals. That’s when the real pressure starts.’ <\/p>\n

Fletcher has yet to feature under Walter Smith, having missed the Italian game in the San Siro with a knee injury. <\/p>\n

But having worked under him at Old Trafford, where he was Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant for six months last season, Fletcher is well aware of the qualities Smith brings to the national team. <\/p>\n

He said: ‘The players at United really respected Walter in the short time he was there. <\/p>\n

‘You look at his achievements at Rangers and what he did at Everton, but it’s only on the training ground that you realise how good a tactician and coach he is. <\/p>\n

‘He is not purely a manager, He did the coaching at United where everyone took to him straight away. <\/p>\n

‘It’s no surprise he’s starting to make things happen for Scotland.’ <\/p>\n

Even if Scotland can get their qualification hopes back on track with victories over Moldova on Saturday and Belarus next Wednesday, Fletcher admits the disappointment of losing last month’s FA Cup Final to Arsenal on penalties will continue to linger. <\/p>\n

He added: ‘I think that sense of frustration will be there for a long time. I don’t think two games will make up for that as it wasa real blow to everybody. <\/p>\n

‘The way the season panned out, people would have still talked about a disappointing campaign even if we’d won the FA Cup. <\/p>\n

‘It would have salvaged a little bit but we are under no illusions as Manchester United just don’t see themselves winning FA Cups. They want bigger and better things. <\/p>\n

‘The hurt will still be there next season and hopefully that bitter disappointment will help to drive us on<\/p>\n

<\/div>
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